Caging the Beast
by AsherAnd
Summary: -Set During Thor's Exile, Slight AU- When Loki finally gets his hands on the most powerful war deity in the Nine-Realms, he, of course, wants to use her to exact revenge on his brother Thor. But, in order to do that, Loki must cage the savage beast that is Sekhmet and break her mind in the process. WARNING!: Features OCs, Mild Gore, Lemon later on. Rating subject to change.R&R!
1. Introduction

Night had fallen when Loki and a small group of his followers approached the Bifrost. He'd led them there, telling them that he needed to retrieve something of his, something he could not carry on his own. The fools had believed him, of course, and why wouldn't they? He was their god. _'A god of lies, no less, but still a god. Its not your fault that they choose to ignore that detail.' _He was very convincing when he wanted to be. After all, he was Loki-Liesmith. Loki Silver tongue. A snake disguised- Well, actually, it was quite obvious that he was a snake. He did nothing to hide or rectify the rumors spread about him in court. There had been a particularly nasty on circulating the maid's mouths recently that he intended to steal a god from another pantheon and bring them to Asgard to serve him. Oh, and not just any god, The Mouth of the Desert, the one who survived on beer and the blood of mortals. That one was actually true.

And so, as the last rays of light drained from Asgard's skies, he waited. He waited with his back turned toward the men who'd stupidly decided to put their trust and hope in the lord of all liars. A majority of them were going to die, there was no doubt about that. He had no problem with watching a few meaningless lives be ripped away, or ripping away a few himself, if need be. From behind him, he felt a sense of uncertainty rise up in his followers. Small whispers echoed through their ranks and the god of mischief felt his patience begin to wane. "Speak." He ordered.

No one dared step forward. He turned on his heel and surveyed them, clearly not in the mood for childish games. He towered about his fellow Asgardians, his height only being surpassed by Thor, Volstagg and Odin, and while this was troublesome when on Midgard, it served him greatly here. The god glared down at the sniveling guardsmen. "Pay attention. All of you." Jade eyes swept over the crowd. "In just a few short moments, that gate over there-" He paused to point a thin finger toward the Bifrost. "-Is going to open and unleash Hel like you've never seen. Now, unless any one of you wants to be _thrown head first into that Hel, _I suggest you shut up." The brief moment of silence was interrupted by what sounded and looked like a mass explosion. Shouts echoed through his followers and a few even broke away and started running back for the gates of Asgard. Loki promptly ended their existence.

"To arms!" The shout was let out and the remaining men drew their swords and charged the giant flame.

He wasn't sure if they saw what they were rushing toward. If they had, they surely would have stopped. Within the fire, there was a form of a woman with a golden lion mask covering her face. The flames that engulfed her spilled from her mouth, eyes and hands, swirling in every shade of red, orange and yellow imaginable. If Loki hadn't been in complete control of the situation, he would have been nervous.

As the first wave of Asgardians approached the pyre, they were incinerated immediately, and the second line tried to pull back, but only met with the same fate. The heat rolling off of her was astounding. Hell, even Surtur, the fire demon himself, would have been impressed with her display. The woman let out a roar that caused the bridge to tremble and clutched at her head.

Loki was sure the cold was getting to her by now. It was night in Asgard, and while it was relatively warm by his standards, he was sure she was freezing to death. They had to move fast. The flames slowly died down, and she was surrounded. Chains were tossed over her and her arms were shackled. She struggled little, the cold making her lethargic. The goddess let out a weak growl as he approached.

He looked down at her still glowing form and felt a triumphant smile began to dance over his lips. At last. He was in possession of the most dangerous woman in the nine realms. She lifted her head and gave him a small frown, her golden eyes appearing to be smoldering, themselves. Loki crouched and lifted her chin, ignoring the burning sensation that came simply from touch. "Hello, Goddess of War." He said, letting his silver tongue flow. "You are in Asgard, the most powerful of the nine realms..." She blinked slowly and muttered something quietly in a foreign language. Loki slipped his hand around to the base of her neck and applied pressure. "And you know belong to me, Sekhmet." As her eyes closed and her head went slack, he gave the order for two of his men to pick her up and deliver her to his chambers. After all, he couldn;t have people _knowing _he'd just abducted a goddess from another realms. No, then he'd have a war on his hands, and was that any way to solidify his rule?

As the last of the flames died out and the embers from Sekhmet's arrival began to cool, Loki allowed himself a brief moment of unadulterated joy. His plan had been set into motion.

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Alright, so sucky prologue is sucky. Don't you judge me! Just…shut up and R&R or something!


	2. Break

When Loki returned to his chambers ours after the even on the Bifrost, he found the war goddess tucked into his bed, sleeping quite peacefully. He rolled his eyes at the incompetence of his followers. He'd said to put her in his chambers, not tuck her into his bed like some sort of overgrown child. He had no idea where she'd been, and his sheets were sure to reek of smoke for weeks now that she'd been wrapped in them. He sighed and removed his helm, placing it on the mahogany desk in the corner. A tome sat open in the middle of the table, a volume detailing all that Asgard's scholars knew about the other pantheons. Its pages, were, of course, turned to the section on Sekhmet

He'd gleaned whatever information he could from the pages on her conquests, gathering anything that would help keep her detained. He flipped a page and set to taking notes again. Apparently, she had a habit of getting rip-roaring drunk, and burning things. He could deal with the pyromania and alcoholism. Too easy. But, he found that her will would be harder to deal with. Loki looked over his shoulder at the slumbering goddess. Apparently, in one of her earlier battles, she'd stolen the sun and her armies had slaughtered in the night for three days, not stopping until the last soldier's heart gave up beating.

Her rage was impressive, and he made a mental note to keep her unconscious until her mind and will fully belonged to him. He couldn't afford any rebellion at this early stage. Loki shook his head and focused back on the volume in front of him., zoning in on a particular passage.

_"Sekhmet, being a matriarchal goddess, is highly independent and bends to no man. However, if a male manages to acquire her true name, she will be forced to submit to him, mind and body." _He read it out loud, his voice echoing the nearly empty room. "Hm." The god of lies stood and began walking toward the woman in his bed. All members of her pantheon had names, and then true names. True names were what summed up their entire being, personality and history in a few short words. It was extremely personal, and they were not easily given away. The true names of the gods were powerful weapons, for once you had them, you could manipulate the name's owner into doing whatever you wanted.

Loki sighed, thinking of all he could do with that power. Earning Sekhmet's trust and acquiring her name by her choice would take far too long and require her to be awake. That within itself was tedious, and he had no urge to _make friends. _He drew near to the side of his bed and looked down at the unconscious Egyptian. Her skin was dark, lighter than Heimdal's, but definitely deeper than Hogun's. Her eyes were outlined with heavy khol and a tattoo of the Eye of Ra gleamed in black beneath her left eye. Her hair was an intricate bun of knots and twists that had fallen out slightly during her ordeal. A few embers still held on to the vain hope of life within her hair and he waved a hand, extinguishing them. He doubted her hair could catch on fire, but it was better to be safe than sorry, right?

She was rather pretty, he'd give her that. At least, she was for a member of her kind. Egyptians were notorious for being animalistic in nature and though they could hide their more, ah, _feral _heads, they chose not to, stating that it was their natural state. If Loki had to share his quarters with her for the time being, she certainly wasn't going to go about with the face of a beast. He found her alternate face to be much more pleasant. It was going to be that much more fun to watch her expression when he took her mind.

He smirked. He'd always enjoyed breaking pretty things. He'd cut off all of Sif's hair when they were but children because it was lovely. He'd smashed endless statues of his brother, burned tapestries and razed entire wings of Asgard, simply because he enjoyed watching all beautiful things burn. Sekhmet would be no different. He'd tear away at her sanity shred by shred, until only the trembling, obedient war-servant was left. That was all he needed, any way. Thor wouldn't be able to rival her.

He glowered as his thoughts turned to his brother. Even the weather mourned his loss, continuously dumping storm after storm down upon them - All lacking thunder and lightning, of course. It mattered not to him. Soon, he would venture to Midgard with a weapon not even the Destroyer could vanquish, and then he would exact his revenge. And it would be most sweet indeed.

He extended a thin, pale hand to her temple and allowed himself to be pulled into her mind. The sensation had become familiar to him by now: the cold, dull ache, the sense of being light headed, they'd all become normal to him by now, so he was surprised when the cold was replaced with a comfortable warmth and no ache assaulted his body. He felt quite grounded as well. "Strange..." He muttered, walking toward the avatar of Sekhmet's mind that sat in the middle of the black expanse.

"You there," He began, touching the girl's shoulder. "Who are you?" It was always easier for him to get the information he wanted when he started out with simple questions. The avatar turned her head. She looked like Sekhmet, but not quite... Her hair, instead of being dredlocked, hung around her face in black, soft waves. Her eyes were brown and wide, almost like a...

"Who are you?" She retorted. Loki blinked, trying to mask his confusion. Avatars of minds did not ask questions of their own. This was getting stranger by the minute. Luckily, he had his silver tongue present.

"I asked you first." The avatar didn't respond at first.

"I am Hathor, sister of Sekhmet." The girl stood and looked up at the god. She was short and rather pudgy, not nearly as imposing as her sister.

"What is your true name?"

"You don't know me, and thus, I am not entitled to tell you." Hathor crossed her arms over her ample chest and waited for the next question from the clearly irritated Asgardian.

"What is your purpose?"

"Our purpose is to protect and defend our king to the point of death, our current charge being Horus."

"Well." He muttered withdrawing from her mind, his eyes narrowing. "I am your king now." Back on the outside, he shot a glare down at Sekhmet, cursing Hathor. As if in response, she whimpered and turned on her side. The spell he'd cast on her would last three days. Three days to break her sanity. Three days until he had the ultimate weapon in all the nine realms within his grasp. The thought of complete power soothed him and he turned away from his new toy, heading toward his balcony. The spell he'd placed on her within her mind should impair her senses. She probably could've slept through one of Thor's thunderstorms quite peacefully. Hopefully, it would hold.

"It is beginning." He sighed into the air.


	3. No Way Out

She Before Whom Evil Trembles.

That was her name.

It had taken him nearly two days to find out, but he had, eventually dragging out of that cow, Hathor by means of mental torture. He didn't know if Sekhmet was aware that he'd nearly killed her sister, but when she awoke, she was sure to be unhappy, regardless of whether she'd found out or not. He allowed himself a self-satisfied smirk as the goddess began to stir, stretching and twisting as she showed off the more feline aspects of her nature. He was surprised to find that she, while having the face of a normal human, still possessed the ears, teeth and tail of a lion. Loki watched, intrigued as the goddess froze and began sniffing the air, her nose twitching. He'd rendered himself invisible, but it was only a matter of time before he was detected.

Sekhmet's eyes snapped open and she lunged at him, teeth bared and claws outstretched. Loki casually sidestepped her and the goddess landed in a graceful crouch. "Who are you, and where am I?" She growled, not moving from her position on the floor. The god of mischief remained silent and she hissed in rage. "Answer me if you value your life!" She had been weakened by the sleeping curse, but she was still deadly, A lithe creature, made for battle and war. She was dressed in loose-fitting pants, with bandages wrapped around her chest. With that clothing, her muscles were accentuated, from the hard, flat plane of her stomach, to her taut calves, she was clearly a warrior.

"Useless information all in all. You don't need to know who I am, or where you are. You just need to know what you're here to do." Loki threw his voice around the room, making it come from several different directions. Sekhmet rose, her claws still unsheathed and began scenting the air once more.

"Care to inform me?"

"You are here to serve me." She let loose another growl and began stalking toward him. Invisibility, it seemed, would not help him against the animalistic goddess.

"I am Sekhmet bin Ra. I _serve_ no _man_." Her tail lashed angrily. "Show yourself, coward! You dare insult me and remain hidden?" Loki chuckled and flashed into existence for a few brief moments.

"I dare." Clearly, he'd several underestimated the War Goddess's agility, because before he had the opportunity to flash out of existence again, she'd raked her claws down his cheek, leaving three long slashes welling blood. He snarled and she lunged again, but this time, he was ready. Loki turned her around and barred his arm across her throat and she let out a slew of curses in ancient Egyptian. Sekhmet clawed at his arm, tearing the sleeve of his shirt to shreds. He drew his arm tighter around her neck and whispered in her ear.

"She Before Whom Evil Trembles." The war goddess tensed and the room suddenly became charged with magical energy. She dropped her arms to her side and he moved his as well, rubbing the burns he was sure he'd gotten from their contact. He could feel the anger rolling off of her in waves, masking a smaller emotion: Fear.

"What is your wish, my _master_." She questioned, making master sound like a curse. He laughed, taking a moment to relish her utter failure. It was hilarious, really, how one name could enslave a god. One simple utterance of a few non-magical words, and she was his.

"My first wish, dear one, is for you to find some more suitable attire. Perhaps some that leaves something of your figure to the imagination." He felt her emotion switch from anger to disdain and he laughed once more. Pathetic little creature.

"I am not wearing a gown, or what ever it is that the oppressed women here wear." The war goddess murmured. She was used to going around with little to no clothing on at all. It was necessary in the climate she lived in. Heavy skirts and jewelry served only to hinder her from moving about, not to mention, she looked ridiculous in them..

"Who said anything about a gown? Your purpose here is to serve me, Saiah, in whatever capacity I see fit. I see no reason to dress up a tool." Sekhmet glared as he used one of her names. She'd never liked it. It didn't carry the weight or power of Sekhmet, or Bellona, or any of her other names. It was simply weak, a name fit for a maid. She supposed that was what she was now, a servant to an unknown man in an unknown place. He grabbed her arm and led her out of the lush chamber and down a dim corridor. His hand was cold and she flinched as his grip tightened on her.

Sekhmet was sure that this was the presence she'd felt in her mind, attacking her sister and ripping through her memories. She shuddered as her mind turned to the three days she'd spent in the dark trying to cope with the pain of having her mind invaded. He'd looked through memories best left untouched and had forced her to relive some of her worst experiences. Her claws slid out involuntarily. Her vengeance would come upon him and he too would share in her pain, but for now she had to serve him.

She had no clue what dark, dank hole this man had pulled her secret name from, but she intended to find it and burn it to the ground. Never in her 5000 years had any male dared challenge her freedom. And now this _fool_ had tried to contain her. The goddess scoffed and shook her head. He was going to get burned. She winced as his nails dug in to her flesh.

"Is something funny?" Sekhmet yanked her arm away from him, and immediately regretted it as she was shoved against the cold stone wall with the man's hand clamped around her throat. "Let us get a couple things evened out, shall we?" He snarled in her ear, knowing that no one could hear them. His hand burned, but he was not going to release the sun goddess just yet, not until he'd gotten his message through to her. "_I_ am the master here. _You_ are nothing but a pawn at my disposal." She clawed at his hand weakly, trying to loosen it. Stars danced in her vision and she could feel her knees going weak. He was surprisingly strong, for one of his size, and his fingers were deadly cold. "I will allow you to live and cast the necessary enchantments for you to be able to survive here, and in return, you do as I say. Which means you do not under any circumstances pull away from me!" His voice had elevated in to a hiss and he held Sekhmet in the air. The goddess's face had gone crimson and she looked on the verge of fainting, so he released her, allowing her to collapse on the ground at his feet. "I am Loki, god of lies, and I will not tolerate such insolence."

He yanked her up by her wrist and continued dragging her down the corridor to some unknown destination. Stars danced in Sekhmet's eyes as she stumbled to keep up. So, Asgard was where she'd been magicked to. The name Loki sounded vaguely familiar. Yes, he was one of Set's associates. A trickster.

A liesmith.

Loki dragged her down so many twists and turns in the hallways of the palace, that she knew there was no chance of her ever remembering the way back to what she assumed to be his chambers. Every few meters, a guard was posted, so many that she knew in her weakened state she'd never manage to fight them all off. There was no way out. A door flew open a few feet ahead of them and Loki entered with out a word. "Sif! I require some of your armor."

A dry laugh came from the shadows of the room. "What, do you intend on parading around as a woman again, Laufeyson?"

"No, you insolent whore, they aren't for me." All was silent for a moment before the clanking of metal could be heard and a thin woman came to the door. It was obvious that she'd once been very pretty, but she was extremely thin and her head was shorn. It looked as if someone had cut it off while fighting with her.

Liesmith...

The word echoed around Sekhmet's mind as the woman, Sif, stared her down.

"Why don't you just summon some armor for her? I see no reason for you having use of mine." Loki snatched the plates and chain mail away from her and shoved them in to Sekhmet's arms.

"She's born of a different breed of magic." And with out further explanation, the king turned on his heel and began dragging the war goddess down the corridor once more. Sekhmet looked over her shoulder back at the frail woman who gave her a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.

'Watch out.' She mouthed and the goddess nodded. As the door closed softly and Loki yanked on her wrist once more she turned back to the front.

No way out.


	4. Tower

In her adolescence, Sekhmet had heard a Midgardian tale recounting the life of a girl who was trapped in a tower for the entirety of her life, only being saved when her prince came. While she'd never needed a man to save her, she could admit to relating to Rapunzel. She hadn't left Loki's room in three days, and she was alone for most of that time, her new owner having to go rule over the Asgardian court. It wasn't as if she longed for his presence, but it was better than sitting in silence for hours on end. Sif visited her occasionally as well, once to get her measurements for some new armor, and another to simply talk. It was during their second meeting that the thin, pale woman had once been a warrior. That had been before Loki's ascension to power. The warrior-woman had questioned his authority and woke to a shaved head and no knowledge of how to wield her weapons. She'd disappeared into the background, only emerging from her chambers when summoned.

The war goddess sighed and pulled herself from the cold floor. This realm was toxic. Even at its warmest, she was still cold. She eyed the large round bed that dominated the center of the room, but quickly turned away. Her master had forbidden her from ever entering it, unless invited to do so. Sekhmet shuddered, remembering his poor wording. She was sure he hadn't meant _that _sort of invitation, but even if he had, he would never touch her. No man ever had, and she didn't plan on breaking that streak. She'd created both of her children by hand just to avoid the unpleasantness of having another body against her own.

She looked out of the locked glass doors that opened to the balcony. It was raining again, as it every day since her arrival. Sekhmet shivered and conjured herself a flame to warm herself. It was small, but better than nothing. In the time she'd spent here, Loki had yet to tell her his purpose for taking her. Surely it wasn't just to sit in his room and twiddle her thumbs all day. No one just kidnapped the Mistress of Dread for no reason. She intended to find out why this Liesmith had captured her and how to escape the binding pact of her secret name.

She just had to escape this tower first.

Sekhmet cursed quietly and once more contemplated just getting into her master's bed when the door was kicked open. She flinched and focused her golden eyes on the man in the door. It was Loki, of course. The goddess felt foolish for even checking. Who else would come barging into a room like that?She relax and snickered once she saw the state he was in. His helm was tilted to the side, soot was smeared across his face and there were multiple smoking holes in his clothing. The Trickster god paid her no mind at first, in no mood to deal with her, but when her snickers turned to mocking laughter, he was in front of her in a second, looming over her as he did so often to intimidate others.

"Saiah, I find with every day that goes by, I can stomach your company less and less. " Sekhmet's laughs stopped, but she retained a challenging smirk.

"Loki, I find your manner of dress laughable. I didn't realize ashes and tears were such a large part of Asgardian fashion!" His mouth contorted into an ugly snarl and his eyes narrowed as he clenched his fists.

"Firstly, you are to address me as master, and secondly I was just in a battle defending the kingdom!" In truth, he'd been the one who'd put it in danger in the first place, but that was a minor detail.

"Oh, Is the mighty Liesmith unable to defend himself?" She cooed, before being silenced with a warning hand on her throat.

"No, starting tomorrow, that is your job." Sekhmet took pause, unsure she'd heard him completely.

"Pardon?"

"There are potentially hundreds of beings in the realms that wish nothing more than to see me dead. I require protection, and who better to give it than the goddess of war?" There was a glint in her eye, something she didn't quite like. He'd dragged her across half the universe simply to serve as his _bodyguard_? This was not going to work.

"No." Loki's smile froze on his face and turned into something more along the lines of a teeth-bearing. Sekhmet prepared herself for what ever assault he was about to hand down, and barely turned her head when he struck her.

"I don't know how many times I have to explain to you that you _belong _to-"

"I couldn't if I wanted to." She said calmly, her burning golden eyes looking up into his own. This gave the god a pause. He frowned slightly.

"Explain." He muttered, warily.

"I'm a goddess of War. I'm hard-wired for assault and destruction, so defending and preserving something goes against my nature and has the potential to rip my mind apart. Much like if you decided to tell the truth for a whole week straight." Increased pressure on her neck told her that her quip was not appreciated. "The only people I have the capacity to defend are my Father, My sons and the Pharaoh, whomever he might be." Loki released her and she rubbed her throat. "And seeing as you aren't any of those people, you should probably give me back my secret name and send me on my way. " He'd moved away from her and was standing in front of the glass doors on the opposite side of the room.

"There has to be a way to fix this..." He muttered. Sekhmet, quite pleased with herself for stumping the god of trickery, flicked her tail and sat down in the corner she'd been left in.

"Your choice~" She yawned. There was a way to 'fix' his little dilemma, or course, but she wasn't going t give him any hint that she knew. No, not when she was this close to freedom. She could practically here the horns of court announcing her arrival back in Duat, her realm, now.

She heard him curse in old Norse and she smirked. "Well, if you have no further use for me, I'm just gonna go back to your little rainbow bridge now." The war goddess stood and began heading for the door, but was stopped suddenly, not of her own accord. Loki was hold her back with his magic. She had thought it was impossible for him to use his spells on her, but apparently, she'd thought wrong.

"While it is exceedingly difficult to summon things directly on to you, I can still use minor enchantments." The snake said, his back toward her. "If you know of a way by which I can remedy this situation, I suggest you tell me. Now." Sekhmet felt her mouth open, and against her wishes, the words came tumbling out.

"In order for any king to have the defense of the goddess of war, they must sever her connections with her previous ruler and join her to the new kingdom by means of matrimony." She could practically feel the chains sliding back over her, binding her to Loki's service. It seemed she was going to be stuck in this tower quite longer than she expected. He released her from his hold and she feel to her knees, a sense of despair filling her. _'Horus and_ _Hathor, forgive me...' _She and her twin shared a body, and if she was getting married, so was Hathor and vice versa.

"I have to..." Loki's disgust was evident on his face. Clearly, no god on Asgard had thought to marry one of the feral Egyptians. He swallowed his revulsion and pulled her up back her arm. He was going to have his super weapon, one way or another. If he had to degrade himself to practical bestiality to do it, so be it. The god swallowed a shudder as her ears lay flat against her head. She was an animal with a human shell. Perhaps it wouldn't be so terrible. After all, once the deed was done, he wouldn't ever have to touch the disgusting creature in front him. She was looking up at him, a sneer of disapproval evident on her face as he clutched her arm.

"You can release me now, _sir. _I'm not going to make a break for it. No where to go anyway." He merely tightened his grip and dragged her along with him as he left the room. If he had to wed this...this _creature, _It was going to be a, as the Midgardians called it, 'shotgun' wedding. No guests, no music, certainly no flowers. There wasn't going to be a feast afterwards. He was going to do this and get it over with. Sekhmet's opinion on the matter was quite obvious and she spent a majority of their trip down the hall muttering what he was sure were Egyptian curses at him.

The war goddess didn't fight him this time, no, she settled for cursing him in her native tongue. _"May all you bones break, may Apep devour your soul, may the demons of the Lower Houses rip all that is precious from you, may your crops shrivel up and die, may your reign end in disaster, may Set never depart from your house..." _She doubted her curses would work on an Asgardian. they did, after all, have completely different magic types. It was worth a try, though. Anything to bring this monster to misery. She decided that if she was like the maiden trapped in a tower, that Loki was surely the dragon who waited beneath, devouring all hope of rescue.

A group of manservants passed by, curiosity evident on their faces, but they didn't dare speak for fear of Loki's wrath if he were questioned. "Where is Aeldal?" He barked, emerald eyes sweeping over the shorter Asgardians. He had no patience, and when not a single one of the pathetic slaves stepped forward, he turned his question to the oldest one of the bunch. "You there, old man, where is Aeldal?" The poor man swallowed nervously as his eyes darted back and forth between the Egyptian and the King who held her arm tight in his grasp.

"Th-the Sorcerer i-is in his chambers, my lord." Before the servant could finish his sentence, Loki was stalking down the halls again, increasing his pace as they neared the wing where Odin's favorite Enchanter lived. Sekhmet's dread increased and she began looking for a way out, anything that might help her. She pulled against Loki's grip weakly.

"Be still." He ordered, and she had no choice but to comply as he dragged her to her fate. In Duat, Sekhmet's native realm, a Diviner was necessary for a marriage to be considered lawful. She guessed the practice was the same in Asgard and that Aeldal was the only one who was readily available to observe such agreements. As her master made a sharp left and dragged her to a set of double doors, her suspicions were confirmed. "Aeldal! I have need of your services!" All was quiet for a moment before one of the doors creaked open and a small, shriveled old man peak out.

"Prince Loki... I had thought it would be a while yet before I saw at my door." Loki forced a smile.

"Actually, its King now." Aeldal laughed.

"Oh. Oh, my. My apologies, your highness." Sekhmet felt the corner of her lips twitch upward as she detected the smallest note of sarcasm in his voice. His eyes turned toward her and he took her hand. "I assume this is the woman?" Loki nodded in the affirmative and he welcomed them in. His quarters were large, but nothing compared with Loki's. Light filtered in from a glass roof and books were scattered around the room in huge piles. He picked up a scroll of parchment and began scribbling across its surface. While the sorcerer was distracted, Loki leaned down and began whispering in her ear.

" After you sign this, there will be no where in the nine realms where you can hide, that I won't be able to find you. Your soul will be connected to mine." Sekhmet's nose wrinkled. Quite frankly, she didn't want anything of her's to be connected to Loki, but as he explained the contract, she felt her last bit of hope evaporate. The war goddess nodded and looked away from him.

"Try to look happy dear, it is your wedding day, after all." Aeldal said, his voice chipper as he handed the scroll and a pen to Loki. She tried to force a smile, but it came out looking more like a weak grimace. The king signed his name and passed it on to his 'wife'. While she wrote, the men conversed. "She has lovely eyes you know. A beautiful shade of gold wouldn't you say?"

"Yes, I suppose..." Loki's tone was evidence enough that he didn't really care.

"Their brighter than Heimdal's. Are they related?"

"No." Sekhmet gripped the pen tighter. She was standing right there, and here the two stood discussing her as if she were some goat at market!

"Marvelous, really. The last time I saw eyes like that was during a brief meeting with an Egy-" Loki cut him off by shoving the scroll and pen back toward him.

"Thank you, Aeldal, that will be all." He once more grabbed the goddess and set to walking down the halls. A long bit of their journey passed before he spoke. They passed the now all too familiar snake banners and he began."You will have free roam of the wind of the palace in which I live, but you are not to venture beyond without me, understood?"

Sekhmet grunted and he pushed open his door, shoving her inside without much ceremony before slamming it shut and leaving once more. She returned to her position at the foot of his bed and drew her knees up to her chest. This was a prison she was trapped in. A lovely one, but a prison none the less. This was her tower, and he was her dragon

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**AN: **Phew! That is the longest chapter I've ever uploaded to ! I'm kind proud..Sooo, I'ma need you guys to R&R. If I get three reviews, I'll try to get in another chapter before Christmas. If not, y'all are just gonna have to wait until New Years. Happy Holidays, y'all!


	5. Mother

Loki strode down the corridors in the former king's wing of the palace, a small smirk gracing his lips. He was ecstatic, and why shouldn't he be? He now had practical full control over Sekhmet and his mother had finally emerged from her period of grieving. The mandatory month had long since passed, and she was in her fifth. Luckily, she'd decided to put away pining for her lost husband and hopefully accept her adopted son's new rule. He laughed quietly and looked over his shoulder at the war-goddess. She was trailing a few feet behind him, looking around the halls like a wide-eyed child. This area, unlike the dark, cold wing they resided in, was bright and warm. Floor to ceiling windows showed off view of the kingdom below and the mountains to the east. It was beautiful, but after passing it every day for nearly three thousand years, it got old.

Loki stopped for a moment and allowed her to investigate the views further. The goddess pressed her fingers against the glass and stared out over the land that she now technically co-ruled. Her tail was acting as if it had a mind of its own, swishing back and forth and she watched. Her ears stood erect, pointing in the direction she was looking, and her claws were sheathed, a rare occurence. Loki was picking up a strange emotion from her, one he had yet to feel since her arrival: Amazement. He frowned slightly. He hadn't expected her to be struck with awe at the sight of him, or his chambers. Not by Sif, or Aeldal, or any of the other Asgardians. He was further bewildered when a small, nearly imperceptible sense of contentment washed over her. He rolled his eyes. Proof of her primitive mind.

He turned on his heel and continued walking. If Sekhmet knew what was good for her, she'd follow as well. Sure enough, a few moments later, he heard her shuffling down the hall after him. He'd never had much respect for gods of other pantheons. When he was younger, he treated the foreign dignitaries with detached curiosity and had found none of their realms to be near the splendor of Asgard. All except one: Du'at. The war-goddess' native realm. He'd visited only once and had been shocked by the dry, desert-like realm's beauty. Despite their feral appearance, they were skilled architects and builders.

"May I ask where we're going?"

"You'll find out soon." Sekhmet muttered something under her breath in her native language and he rolled his eyes. Loki turned around, only to have the shorter goddess run in to him. He steadied her and launched in to an explanation. "Listen, in Asgard before a couple gets married, they must be introduced to their partner's parents."

"We aren't a couple." She hissed.

"Thank you for so graciously pointing that out, Saiah, but my mother doesn't know that, and I wouldn't begrudge her this." She was quiet as she thought. The idea of her captor caring for anyone but himself was a foreign thought, but she had nothing against meeting his mother. Now, when the time came, he would return the favor. She smirked at the thought of Loki standing before Ra. She was sure that the sun-god would not be amused by the Norse snake's kidnapping of his daughter. Loki shot her a warning glance and she cut off her snickers. "Just let me answer all of her questions, alright?" She nodded and quickened her steps as they approached the living quarters of Asgard's former queen.

Frigga was facing her looking-glass, piling her long, wheat-colored hair into an up-do when a quiet tapping pulled her out of her thoughts. "Enter." She murmured softly, standing and composing herself. Her eyes were still red and puffy from crying and she appeared pale. She'd lost weight she couldn't afford to drop and she looked awful overall. Beside her bed, her hand maiden, Amora was folding up linens into neat, square little piles.

"Mother." Frigga looked up and offered a weak smile as her son stepped in to her chambers followed by a deeply tanned young woman. The former queen opened her arms and embraced her adopted son.

"Loki, why did I have to find out from the servants that you had wed?" She held her child at arm's length and smiled up at him. From the corner, Amora watched in silence, not ceasing from her work. Her eyes lingered on the new king for a moment before moving on to Sekhmet and filling with hatred.

"I apologize, Mother. We wedded rather quickly, and I-"

"What is your name, dear girl?" The war-goddess cut her eyes at Loki and began to speak.

"I am Sek-" Loki grabbed her hand and squeezed it tightly, his fin"Saiah. Saiah. Her name is Saiah."Frigga frowned slightly, but didn't push. Her youngest son hadn't exactly been known for his charm and way with women. No, that would definitely be Thor's forte. Even his relationship with his bride, from what she'd so far, seemed awkward and strange. When he'd taken her hand, the girl, Saiah, had flinched.

Loki continued speaking with his mother and Sekhmet allowed her mind to wander. His hand was positively frigid, and didn't help the low temperature in the room. As her eyes drifted through the bright, well decorated chambers of Loki's Mother, her eyes settled on a young, blonde woman working in a corner. The girl looked up and glared, her gaze full of hatred. The goddess of war raised an eyebrow, but otherwise didn't respond. If the servant had something to say, she could say it with out fear of retaliation. Even so, Sekhmet sent a heat burst her way and snickered as the servant' hair frizzled up. Her laughter brought Loki's attention back to her and his voice snapped her out of her reverie. "Saiah, my mother called your name." She blinked and smiled sheepishly.

"My apologies, my attentions were elsewhere. What did you say?" Frigga smiled and took the Egyptian's free hand between her own. Both Sekhmet and Loki's eyes widened at that. She scrambled to lower her body temperature to that typical of an Asgardian, but the queen still appeared taken a back.

"Oh, my, dear are you alright? Your skin is-"

"Fever!" Loki yelped, cutting his mother off for the second time that conversation. "She has a fever." He mumbled.

"Loki, I am sure your wife is perfectly capable of answering questions on her own!" She reprimanded, before turning her calm, green eyes back to the war-goddess in question. "I was going to ask you if you'd thought about children."

"Mother, we were just married!" There was an unmistakable red tint in the god of mischief's cheeks. Of course, he would never lay with Sekhmet, that was disgusting, she was practically an animal. But hearing his mother suggest children knowing the...ah...activity associated with it was embarrassing. His mother merely laughed and took both of their hands.

"What? It isn't as if you haven't made an effort already!"Sekhmet coughed uncomfortably and looked away from Frigga and Loki. Her captor looked wholly uncomfortable while the ex-queen seemed like she couldn't be more happy with the idea. She laughed once more and wiped a tear from her eye. "Child, give me some time to speak with Saiah."He winced and his grip on Sekhmet's hand tightened, while her's slackened in response. "Only a moment."

Loki reluctantly relinquished his hold on the war-goddess' hand and began heading for the door. "Only a moment, mother. I need to finish showing her the kingdom, and I have to hold court this afternoon." Frigga nodded and waved farewell to her son and as soon as the door was closed the calm smile dropped from her face and was replaced by a dark grimace. The queen walked quickly toward her bureau and began opening drawers and tossing things out.

"I am fortunate that my son takes me for a fool, Sekhmet." The goddess blinked in surprise.

"My queen, I think you've mistaken me for someone-"

"My husband and your father used to have diplomatic meetings in their younger days. Ra often brought you and his other daughters along. He called you his eyes." Sekhmet didn't know how to respond to being recognized, so she didn't. Frigga, having found what she was looking for, pulled out a large, ornately carved box. She murmured a few words over it, and the designs began moving and untangling themselves until they were completely straight. The cover of the container slid backward and the queen removed a package from it. "I assume that Loki has placed enchantments over all of the weapons in the armory so that no one will be able to harm him with them." She turned and placed the bundle in her daughter-in-law's hands. "Only Odin and I knew about this dagger. It was forge by the king of dwarves himself and enchanted by the Fates. Even giving someone the smallest cut with it will remove all magical ability from them." She closed Sekhmet's hand around it and looked up into her eyes. The war-goddess realized, as she spoke to Frigga, that Loki's mother seemed to have aged very quickly in the span of a few minutes. Laugh marks and dimples had morphed in to frown lines and she suddenly seemed worn down.

"You...you want me to take Loki's magic?" Sekhmet's voice was incredulous. "I have no problem stealing his power, but why?" Frigga gave her a sad, small smile.

"I love my son, but this power has destroyed him. He would never give up the throne now and every male in his family is a threat. None more than my husband." The war-goddess suddenly realized that there was a reason she hadn't seen the All-Father and her blood ran cold.

"He..." Frigga nodded.

"Loki forced his father into the Odinsleep. My husband used to sleep only for three weeks, but its been nearly half a year, and he still hasn't woken. With Thor still in exile in Midgard, there is no one else who can do this. You must first earn his trust and then go for the blow. You must be careful, child. This will only work once and it must be soon. He's probably already slowly started taking over your mind. In a few months, you will be completely dependent on him, and his absence will hurt you physically. Asgardian marriages bind each couples souls together, and soon you will feel the same way, whether your union was legitimate or not."

* * *

The Breaking Loki had spoken of finally began when they returned to his room. He'd shoved her in and she'd landed on her hands, hard. He'd kicked her over and she'd struggled to her feet to attack him, but he'd already planned for that. She hadn't been able to lift a hand to defend herself and the torture had begun. Blow after blow rained down on her and after a while, she realized that she could no longer feel the pain. The sharp stings had been replaced by a dull, cold ache that seeped in to her bones. Sekhmet began to drift toward the warm, open arms of unconsciousness, when the splitting of her lip brought her back to reality. A single, golden drop of blood rolled down her chin a dripped on to the floor as she was pulled by her hair in to a sitting position and a rough kiss was pressed against her mouth. Loki shoved her back down without a single word and began leaving the room. "You will accompany me to Alfheim tomorrow morning." Sekhmet didn't look up. She merely shivered and her captor took that as an acknowledgement.

The door slammed shut and the war-goddess returned to her place on the floor. The ache hadn't done anything but intensify, and she had a feeling it would still be there tomorrow. Rivulets of gold ran down her back from where it'd been torn and her bottom lip was beginning to swell both from the cut and the kiss, if it could even be called that, that followed it. A dry cry crawled from her throat and she closed her eyes, wishing the pain to be gone and to wake up back in her father's palace in the Du'at, but she knew that wouldn't happen. Not across the realms. She was lost to her people now, and not even Atum himself would be able to find her. The goddess wrapped her arms around herself to stop the shivering, even though she knew it was of no use. She, a war goddess, couldn't even defend herself against one man. How could she expect to keep warm?

Besides that, she would bring nothing to shame but her people now. They wouldn't want her back now. Her sister's husband sat defenseless on the throne {A throne that rightfully belonged to Sekhmet}, She'd been carried off like some kind of trophy, and a man had laid hands upon her. Shameful. She clutched the ankh that hung around her neck and began praying to anyone and everyone who would listen.

_'Father, I should have listened and stayed by your side. Help me now, please.' _Another shudder racked her body. _'Please.'_ Sekhmet closed her eyes and allowed the power of the Du'at to run through her. She could feel it tugging at her, even from this realm, and she wanted to succumb to it, to go home. She couldn't, though. He was holding her back. _'Horus, I have disgraced you by marrying someone else while in your wife's body.'_ Her prayers went on and on, apologizing endlessly to her family. No matter how hard she prayed and pleaded, she knew they couldn't hear her. She was completely isolated her, her only window to the world being the man who'd taken her from it. She felt a wave of hatred rise in her heart and threaten to bubble to the surface. She should have let it. She should have burned this palace to the ground and the whole realm of Asgard with it, but she knew she couldn't. There were too many innocent souls here.

Sekhmet cursed Hathor's conscience and pulled her knees up to her chin, literally burning with anger. As smoke curled away from her skin and hair, she allowed herself to envision a future where she was free and Loki's head was mounted on her wall. A cruel grin split her face. For now she would bear his beatings. It would only make her removal of his power that much sweeter. She felt her sister's presence move within their bodies and she closed her eyes. "Don't try to stop me now. Not even your talks of peace could contain this." Her sister's spirit settled and the war-goddess exhaled. She would have her revenge.

* * *

Loki had waited outside of his chambers to see what she would do. He would admit, the results were satisfactory and worth the temporary burns on his hands and face. He hand't expected her to cry, but the complete lack of emotional backlash was interesting. She was stronger than he'd thought. He once again commended himself for capturing the beast on the other side of the wall. He watched as she bent her head in useless prayer and took a few steps back as she began to burn. He'd never liked flames. Whether that was his Jotun nature coming out, or just a childlike fear, he didn't know. He supposed he should have remembered his dislike of heat before he brought a sun goddess in to his home.

A chuckle pulled him out of his thoughts and he frowned as he sensed a familiar presence. "Hello, Enchantress." Amora appeared behind him and snaked her arms around his shoulders.

"Loki..." She purred. "How could you run off and get married to some...some whore and not tell me?" She feigned hurt and he pushed her arms off of him.

"Amora, I don't have time for your games. What do you want?" She giggled.

"What I always want. But, I'd also like to know about your pet...She's not Asgardian and not from Vanaheim. She's certainly no light elf or dwarf and too dark to be Jotun." Loki looked over his shoulder at her with mild disinterest and she frowned at him. "So what is she?!" The king turned and faced the witch, glaring down at her.

"Amora, our relationship was-"

"Is." She corrected and he bit back a curse. She was powerful, for all her stupidity, and he wasn't about to insult her. Not blatantly, at least.

"-Is purely physical. You have no right to question me about my personal life. I am allowed to see whomever I want without your prior approval. Besides, it isn't as if I could have made you queen." She actually looked hurt by his remark. She would never admit it, but Amora held an obsession with his brother Thor, and since she couldn't have him, she was settling. They both were. He'd wanted a Lady Sigyn, but she was spoken for and couldn't be convinced to leave the fool she was with. Sekhmet...well, she was in a different category than Lady Sigyn and the Enchantress. She was certainly no lady, but she wasn't a harlot either. She was more of Sif's breed: A warrior. Sif had been easy prey after Thor was out of the way. Sekhmet would be much harder to crack, though he'd already broken the first seams.

"Fine." Amora snapped as she took his hands and began leading him down the hall. "Let us engage in what little relationship we have." He smirked.

"Let's."

* * *

**AN:** So, this chapter is a little early. PLEASE R&R. REVIEW, I'M BEGGING YOU! I need the feedback. So, yeah. In the next few chapters, we'll witness Sekhmet's 'Breaking' and the story will take a darker turn.


	6. Want

Morning came too quickly for Sekhmet to get any reasonable rest. She'd drifted in and out of sleep all night, flitting from one nightmare to another. The cuts on her back had bled for a fairly long time before finally drying out, only to stick to her shirt. All in all, she'd been in pain since her owner had left her alone in his room last night. She groaned and pushed herself in to a sitting position, her head hung over. There was no way she could travel comfortably in this state. The war goddess place a hand over her eyes and tried to work up the motivation to pull herself from the floor. Sekhmet placed a hand on her abdomen, feeling the dagger that was bound underneath her bandages. She'd have to use it soon, before the bond set in and she was given over to the contract they'd made. The lion goddess struggled to her feet and limped slowly toward the glass doors that lead to Loki's balcony. It still amazed her that there was light in this realm, without the existence of one of her suns. She placed a hand on the window and stared out over the courtyard. Beyond the walls of the palace, the Bifrost sparkled in the early morning light and the gateman Heimdall stood watching, his golden armor visible even from her distance. She let a yawn escape her mouth, her fangs protruding. Today would have to be the day. While he wasn't watching, she'd give him the smallest of cuts.

The locks on the door clicked and she tensed. 'He's here.' She felt hatred bubble up in her heart along with a mild sense of apprehension. She pushed them both away and held her head high. The heavy wooden door creaked open and her tormentor appeared, his thin body not filling in even half the width the frame. Sekhmet's temperature began to rise and she had to fight her nature to keep the flames contained. "Good morning." She uttered a small growl and backed away from him, her eyes narrowed. Loki laughed and extended a hand toward her, reaching for her shoulder. "Come on, Saiah, you musn't act as if you've never been beaten before." She had been beaten before, many times. There were ways to bind Egyptian gods, but Loki possessed neither a god-chain, or a list of the Arcane symbols needed to knock her into unconsciousness. Besides that, the gods and humans who'd laid hands on her before had been burnt down to a pile of ashes shortly after. Loki was still alive, and the was a problem.

As his icy palm made contact with her skin, their was a hiss of steam and she shivered involuntarily. She'd admit, the feeling wasn't unpleasant... Sekhmet blinked, surprised with herself. Never in all her 5000 years had she enjoyed the touch of a male. She found it degrading and disgusting to long for physical contact of any kind, and yet this Jotun had lowered her to that baser emotion. The goddess began to pull away, but he stopped her by tightening his hold. "Release me, foul-"

"Silence." She complied, but it wasn't as if she had much choice. She felt compelled to obey him. 'Damned witch...' His fingers trailed up her arm, brushing against her bruises and cuts. "You actually like this, don't you?" he laughed and moved closer to her, murmuring something under his breath. Sekhmet's claws slid out from behind her nails and she let loose a snarl. "Calm yourself. I'm healing you."

And he was. The snake wasn't lying for once and as his hands skimmed over her skin, the pain gradually started lessening. After he finished, he moved one hand up to cup her face. His thumb brushed along her swollen bottom lip, but he didn't heal it. Loki smirked at her and gave a small laugh once more. "Speak your mind."

With her mouth freed, Sekhmet launched into a heated reprimand. "You insolent worm. You dare disrespect me by laying hands upon me as if I were some common whore? How dare y-" Loki cut her off by pressing his mouth against hers and pulling the goddess toward him. A sudden sense of calm washed over her, and despite her efforts, she couldn't rekindle her earlier hatred, or remember the reason she was angry in the first place. .

"Do you feel that?" Sekhmet didn't answer, and tried to rejoin their lips in an effort to regain some of the serenity, but he tightened his grip on her throat. "Answer me, Saiah." She nodded and he smirked. "That is the bond. Its already beginning. You will long for contact like this soon enough. Being away from me will hurt you and you'll no longer be able to harm me." He laughed and Her claws slipped through his coat and scraped against his armor.

"What have you done to me?" She hissed, trying to control the emotions running rampant through her. The corner of his mouth tipped upward and he rested his forehead against hers, a surprisingly tender gesture for a kidnapper and a murderer.

"I married you."

And with that thought in her mind, his hold on her throat deepened and fear roared up in the pit of her stomach, wild and untameable. She began to fight, but before she could even lift a hand to strike him, a cold fist connected with her face and sent her tumbling to the floor in a heap, her claws connecting with the stone floor and sending sparks flying. The gashes on her back reopened and the bruises that had disappeared became visible once more. Sekhmet grunted in pain and clenched her fists. "Beating me will not make me want to guard you, Snake." Loki laughed and crouched in front of her, pulling her hair upward so she was forced to look at him.

"What you don't seem to understand, is that I own you. You do what I want. You are a tool." He gather more hair in his hand and pulled, nearly yanking out the chunk in the process. Pain clouded Sekhmet' vision, making her head spin. Her eyelids slipped and she felt herself beginning to fall back in to the deep, cold void of unconsciousness.

"Someone will kill you someday..." She slurred. "My people are searching for me. Someone will stop you."

"Saiah, no one complains when a hammer is broken, or a nail, or a saw. You, like these, are just a tool, and I will break you." He patted her on the cheek and stood. "Get ready to go. Your armor is on the bed. I need to be in Alfheim in three hours." The door slammed shut and Sekhmet lay still. The minutes ticked by, and she didn't move. Slowly, but surely, she opened her eyes.

"Get up, Sekhmet." A soft voice whispered. Hathor was sitting beside her, her translucent form giving off a small glow. The war goddess groaned and her sister rubbed her back. "You must get up. If you do not, the snake will return, and the pain will be greater." Hathor took hold of her sister's arms and helped her stand. The cow goddess closed her eyes and murmured and incantation, bandages appearing over the worst of her wounds. Her heart ached for her twin, but she knew there wasn't anything she could do. Sekhmet had locked her inside of their body and prevent their calmer nature from taking over. She shook her head. She was trying to save her. That was what she did, it was in her nature.

Hathor and Sekhmet hadn't ever really been associated with each other. Sure, they were twins, and both Eyes of Ra, but they shared almost no similar physical attributes. Where Sekhmet was tall and muscular, Hathor was short and stocky. The younger twin's feet were cloven and from her forehead, a pair of short cow horns extended. She was darker and had shorter hair, but it was obvious they were related.

The short goddess drug her sister to the bed and leaned her as gently as she could against it. "You must get up." As she prepared to send herself back into their body, Sekhmet reached out and gripped her wrist.

"I can't endure this much longer, Hathor." Golden eyes stared out from half-open lids. The young woman gave a sad smile and placed a kiss on her older sister's forehead.

"You must. Just for a little longer." Her finger tips grazed the area where Sekhmet had hidden dagger and she disappeared back into her sister's mind. Though her physical presence had left the room, her words still echoed.

The war goddess pushed herself upward, her ribs and back screaming in protest. "Just a little longer."

-/\-

An hour later, Asgard's newest king and his bodyguard were walking toward the Bifrost. Sekhmet had been forced in to wearing Asgardian attire: Leather pants with armor placed of them, and a small metal breastplate that ended about midstomach. It was Sif's armor and it barely fit her, but Loki hadn't wanted to waste time having the Dwarves forge her new armor. Besides, she could defend herself well enough. She was a war goddess after all, and Light Elves would prove no problem for her. She seemed focused, all her senses on alert. The tail, which he'd taken great care to conceal, was twitching and she was tapping the claw on her forefinger against her leg. Something was bothering her. Loki placed a hand on her shoulder as they walked, feeling a twisted sense of satisfaction as she flinched. Good, she was beginning to fear him. But, at the thought of her fear, he felt mild discomfort, but quickly pushed it away. He'd taken great pains to find the spells that would allow the Bond to be one-sided, and so far they were holding. One little crack in his arcane defenses, however, and he'd feel the way Sekhmet no doubt felt upon contact with him. "What is wrong?"

Once more, she felt that unwanted burning rise up in her stomach and she clenched her fists. She hated this. Never in her life had she longed for anyone. She was the Mistress of Dread, the Flaming Eye of Ra, and yet here she was, servant to an Asagrdian. She'd flinched when he'd touched her, yes, but the feeling wasn't all together unpleasant. It gave her pained skin back some of the comfort she'd enjoyed earlier, at least. His hand was heavy and cold against her shoulder, and once more steam rose up from between them. She knew his hand had to be burning, but he gave no indication of pain. "I...there's...I can feel..."

"Out with it, Saiah. I haven't got all day." Sekhmet uttered a small growl, but continued none the less.

"I don't think you should go to Alfheim. At least, not until I check it out first." For all her hatred of the snake, a simple kidnapping would not stop her from doing her job: Protecting the King, whoever he might be. She would love for Loki to be killed by whatever was on the other side of the portal, but she could not break her vows. She had to protect the lying, murdering viper with every fiber of her being. The king's eyes narrowed and he forced her to turn around.

"Your attempts at escape are pitiful."He growled, moving his hand up to her throat. Something flashed behind her eyes, deep-rooted hatred, but she forced herself to go on.

"I am not trying to escape you, bastard, I'm trying to save your life. " She growled, smoke beginning to curl off of her. "Something or someone is giving off deadly intent in Alfheim, and its centered around you. If you want to live, I suggest-" A slap connected with her face and cut her off midsentence.

"When I want your advice, Saiah, I'll ask for it."Loki strode past her and on toward the Bifrost, his prisoner hurrying after him. "Besides, I took the throne less than three months ago, why would anyone, especially a Light Elf make an attempt on my life?"

'I can think a few reasons...' She thought, nodding toward Heimdal and hurrying on toward the quickly forming tunnel. Many of her people had heard tell of the Bifrost, the method of travel for the Asgardians, but none had yet to see it, save for their Father. She would be the second. The gatekeeper said nothing to her, but gave the king a small bow. "Fair journeys to you, my liege." Loki gave him a nod and stepped on to the edge of the platform. In front of him, the Rainbow Bridge extended, twisting and writhing and crackling like some giant snake painted with a thousand different colors. Loki looked over his shoulder at her and began giving her instructions.

"Keep your arms by your side, head straight forward, eyes ahead, if you don't want them torn from your face." He gestured for her to come closer, and she hesitantly complied. He appeared to have no intention of harming her, but his moods could change in a second. Once she was within his reach, Loki grabbed her arm and moved her in front of him so that he could keep a firm grip on her when they traveled. "Don't struggle when we move through the Bifrost. This is your first time, and I have not doubt that it will be vastly uncomfortable." And with that, they fell into the portal of light.

At first, Sekhmet felt nothing, just a slight pulling sensation as her hair whipped around her.'This isn't so bad...' before she'd finished the thought, the pain hit. It pulled at her with a thousand invisible claws, tearing her apart. Her Eye of Ra tattoo, the center of her magic, began to burn and she let out a roar of pain. The Bifrost was not meant to be traveled by those without Asgardian magic. Loki clamped a hand over her mouth, and try as she might, she couldn't bite him. He appeared to be completely and totally relaxed, years of visiting realms having made him used to the feeling. He was probably protecting himself with quite a bit of magic. None to spare for his guard, of course. She could handle it. She was strong.

After what seemed like an eternity, they materialized in Alfheim, outside of the realm's capitol city. Sekhmet stumbled and fell to her knees, the ground rolling beneath her. Bright lights and strange voices served only to confuse her further and she let out a cry. Loki was there in an instant, whispering soothing words and trailing his frigid fingers down her arms. "Don't touch me!" She growled, weakly, trying desperately to get her eyes to focus. Her master drew away, but not before whispering a Norse incantation over her head.

"What is wrong with her?" The voice came from somewhere to her right and was light and airy, but definitely male.

"She is not used to the Bifrost. It still frightens her I think." Was that _sorrow_ in the Snake's voice? If he was acting, he was doing a terrific job of it. She almost believed he cared.

"We were not aware that you were bringing company, Loki. If we had known you had need of a concubine, surely one of ours would have sufficed!" The man and his companions laughed heartily. Loki, however, seemed less amused. Irritation and vehemence rolled off of him in waves. He gave a mirthless laugh and stood.

"Thank you, King Yngvi, But this woman is my _wife_." The Liesmith surveyed his work, giving a cruel smirk as each and everyone of the light elves before him gaped. Yngvi, their king, spluttered out a response in a frail effort to maintain some shred of Peace. Asagrdians were not known for taking insults well. His own father had been beaten into the ground by Bor for insulting his son, Odin. Loki was no warrior, but all the Nine Realms and beyond knew of his sorcery.

"P-prince Loki!-"

"Actually, Its King, now." Yngvi could practically feel the noose closing around his neck.

"_King_ Loki, my deepest apologies. We had no idea you'd married!" The Snake rolled his eyes and breezed past the man.

"Obviously." He murmured a spell and Sekhet began to levitate. "I will follow after you Yngvi. We shall still have our council, but I must get Sai-...My wife to the infirmary." The pale elf rose and gave orders to two of his men to make sure the Queen was well taken care of. They scrambled to mount their horses and ride through the tall, golden gates that stood open at the mouth of the city. Loki found all of this amusing. All of this fuss over a beast who had been given worst slights than being mistaken for a whore. He allowed himself a moment to revel in the hilarity of their situation. If they knew her true identity, they would have spat upon her, cast rocks and cursed.

It was a belief that the inhabitants of the Du'at, one of the realms that existed outside of the World Tree, was inhabited by savage demons who lived only to feed off of misery and suffering. How misguided they were. Loki had done his research before bringing Sekhmet in to his home. Egyptians were descended from the Elder gods, just like the Asgardians. They were merely a subspecies of Aesir, though a more primordial one. Their roots were deep in the family trees of the Vanir, and they held similar abilities. For all her people's hate of the Asgardians and their customs, Sekhmet was just like them, albeit with lion-like features. He watched her form as she drifted through the air in front of him, her golden eyes closed and her dark hair fanning around her head and neck.

Sekhmet.

He let his thoughts rest on her for a moment. Normally, he would give her no thought, and he assumed that what he was doing now was a result of the Bond. He would allow it for now and let it run its course. Soon, the urges he had would die down. He'd always had self-control. He refused to go about like his adopted brother Thor, chasing anything in a petticoat and sleeping with every female in Asgard. No, he'd allowed himself brief respites from his strict discipline and found them to be most relaxing. Usually, his consort was Amora, and she'd come on to him, more often than not. till, he obliged her and she seemed to enjoy herself. Unfortunately, the wench had grown attached to him and now had to be thrown out after he was done with her. Sekhmet, he was sure, he'd never grow tired of. When he'd kissed her to initiate the Bond earlier that day, he'd had trouble controlling the marriage's power over him. He'd nearly broken. Unacceptable. He realized with displeasure that the Egyptian had never once called his name. She mainly referred to him as Snake, or Liesmith, or something else that could be spat out with as much malice as possible. Loki didn't care. He'd let her hate him, let her curse him, let her hurt him if it made her feel better, he just wanted her underneath him-

The king shook his head and was overcome by a rush of disgust. Had he really allowed himself to fantasize about his guard? He shuddered and vowed that he would sleep in his own room that night. The woman usually slept at the foot of his bed, on the floor, ready in case anything came through the door, but tonight he wasn't sure if he wanted her near him. She could stay in the hall for all he cared. Loki made a mental note to find a way to permanently destroy any effects the Bond might have on him as soon as he returned to Asgard. He needed her in the palm of his hand, ready to jump at any order. He, however, needed his wits about him, if he were to stay his animal's master. 'That's all she is, Loki.' He thought, forcing the images of his wife from his mind. 'Just an animal. A tool, remember?' He turned and began to follow the group of elves into their city, the Egyptian drifting above him in a magic-induced sleep. He hated her. He hated her for her people's customs and the marriage in his mind, he'd been forced in to. He hated her body. It was too strong and wouldn't break. 'Sleep while you can. When you awake, your punishment begins anew.'


End file.
